BASIC ENGLISH
SIR,—In your issue of February 12th " Janus " does less than justice to Basic English. So intelligently and skilfully has the selection of words been made that an astonishing range of expression is possible. The " Basic " version of the New Testament has great freshness and charm which has been appreciated in the most various quarters. Much current writing would be greatly improved if the writers had been compelled to write in Basic, for many of them cannot be trusted with the immense richness of the full English vocabulary. Foreigners wishing to learn the language can hardly do better than start with Basic. Unhampered by having to acquire an enormous number of words, they can thus quickly gain a command of construction—the essence of good writing. Afterwards they can add to their vocabulary as much as they choose and will naturally do so as their studies progress a,nd their reading becomes wider. There is no need for any " reservation" in recommending Basic English for the purposes for which it is intended.—Yours, &c.,
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